The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Vitex agnus-castus hereinafter referred to by the varietal domination ‘V07-SC-OP-4’.
Pedigree and history: Under the direction of David Knauft, seeds from Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal Creek’ (unpatented) were irradiated with 4kr gamma radiation in 2006. These seeds were planted in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2007; a selection was made and labeled ‘SC4-01-07’ (unpatented). This selection was allowed to open-pollinate, and the resulting seeds were sown in 2008. Twelve seedlings germinated, and were transferred to Carol Robacker's breeding program in Griffin, Ga. in 2009. These 12 plants were transplanted into a field plot in Griffin, Ga. in June 2009. One of these plants was selected for its dark pink flowers and was labeled ‘V07-SC-OP-4’. This plant has been evaluated for four winters and five summers. Asexually propagated progeny, grown from stem cuttings, planted in 2009 in Griffin, Ga. have also been observed. Height and width data has been collected annually. Cold damage was assessed each spring.
Mean panicle lengths and number of panicles per compound panicle were counted each summer. First bloom and re-bloom dates were noted each year. Data was collected on leaf yellowing, leaf drop, thinning, and leaf spot in July, August and September of each year.
‘V07-SC-OP-4’ plants have been grown for evaluation in an irrigated field plot in Griffin, Ga. These plants have been fertilized annually in the spring. Height after five summer's growth is 335 cm. Stems are R.H.S. (Royal Horticultural Society, 2001) grey-brown N199A or greyed-green 197A when older, round, and covered in tiny curved hairs with scattered longer curved hairs. The trunk color is a mix of greyed-white 156A and grey-brown 199D. Cracking and exfoliation of the trunk or large stems is noticeable at about 5 cm diameter.
Leaves emerge with yellow-green 146A upper surface, changing to a deeper green 137A during the summer, and becoming yellow-green 147A in the fall. Lower leaf surface is greyed-green 191B throughout the season. Leaves are palmately-compound, typically 13 cm×14 cm, with mostly seven leaflets. Margins are entire, with acute apices and bases. The upper leaf surface has many scattered hairs, slightly glandular, while the lower surface is more densely pubescent and very glandular. Leaves are slightly waxy above, dull underneath. Venation is simple. Leaf arrangement on stems is opposite.
Flower buds are red-purple 65C. Flowers occur in an elongated compound panicle, 14 cm long by 3 cm in diameter. At emergence and through full bloom and fading, flowers are red-purple 63C with a darker red-purple N66C splotch on the anterior lip. The peduncle is grayed-green 193D. The number of individual flowers per inflorescence ranges from 242 on the secondary peduncles to 588 on the main stem of the panicle. Sepals are grayed-green 193A with purple-violet N81C streaking.